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[Z..]

I've been getting further acquainted with classic shmups as of late. There doesn't seem to be a consensus on which is the best version of Salamander though... which is why I need your help, gaf! Original arcade Salamander or the NES version of Life Force?

And don't tell me to get salamander portable. Way too expensive!

 

[spazchicken]

Life Force.

 

[Ishida]

Life Force!

 

[A Black Falcon]

The Famicom version of Salamander is the best one -- it's got a better ending, better on-screen status display, and some other improvements over the US version.

 

[Z..]

Done!
Though the PS4 Salamander is mighty tempting too since it comes with the other 3 versions of the game...

 

[@MUWANdo]

Okay, so, this is a personal and somewhat complex web of nonsense involving a highly unstable individual I was friends and briefly FWBs with, but I can only assume there will be a never-ending clusterfuck on gaf now until the end of time, which inevitably involves you guys and gals on the mod team in some way, so I'm an open book here. The woman in question ended up being completely psychotic and held a grudge against me after a bizarre love triangle situation developed a few years ago between me, her, and another girl (the other girl I ended up in a long-term relationship with shortly thereafter). This NOLA story she apparently just put up on social media is a delusion of a deeply disturbed person who had a total psychological breakdown as a result of me and the other girl getting together, because she (phew, yeah...) became obsessively infatuated with the other girl (she's bi) on sight when the three of us met up. I wanted to just stay friends with the girl making the accusation and made it super super clear ahead of time that me and the other girl were interested in each other romantically and that could play out as such when we met up. Supposedly this was not a problem for her from accusation, but in reality she uhhh wanted me to die painfully after seeing me and the other girl interact. Plus she became infatuated with the other girl simultaneously to this (she's bi), which created the aforementioned bizarre love triangle that ended up causing her to implode and have an apparently very intense and long-lasting grudge. The whole story about how that love triangle thing played out is, frankly, nuts and scary, and involves this girl bringing us to a compound of dangerous scientology spinoff cultists on that same trip, who roofied us, attempted to recruit/scam me and attempted to abduct/rape the girl I ended up dating, in what was a fucking scary situation that resulted in me and the other girl and the rest of my friend circle never speaking to this girl from the accusation again.

 

[mao2]

Japanese version of Salamander Portable is available on Japan PS Store for 2,365yen.
https://store.playstation.com/#!/ja...･ベスト/cid=JP0101-NPJH50021_00-0000000000000000

PC Engine version too for 617yen.
https://store.playstation.com/#!/ja-jp/ゲーム/沙羅曼蛇/cid=JP0555-NPJJ30030_00-SALAMANDER00JH30

 

[Z..]

The Famicom version of Salamander is the best one -- it's got a better ending, better on-screen status display, and some other improvements over the US version.

Is that on jp psn by any chance? Otherwise I obviously will not import a famicom and the game...

If you're only willing to make one purchase you might as well get the PS4 version as it contains the arcade version of Salamander and both arcade versions of Life Force.

Yeah, but if the NES version is better, why bother? What's the best version, in your opinion?

 

[Orcastar]

The MSX version of Salamander beats both.

 

[dadjumper]

The Famicom cart for Salamander is one of the best looking carts ever made. I sold all my famicom stuff but I kept that one.

 

[Mutagenic]

The Famicom cart for Salamander is one of the best looking carts ever made. I sold all my famicom stuff but I kept that one.

Sure is.

 

[@MUWANdo]

Okay, so, this is a personal and somewhat complex web of nonsense involving a highly unstable individual I was friends and briefly FWBs with, but I can only assume there will be a never-ending clusterfuck on gaf now until the end of time, which inevitably involves you guys and gals on the mod team in some way, so I'm an open book here. The woman in question ended up being completely psychotic and held a grudge against me after a bizarre love triangle situation developed a few years ago between me, her, and another girl (the other girl I ended up in a long-term relationship with shortly thereafter). This NOLA story she apparently just put up on social media is a delusion of a deeply disturbed person who had a total psychological breakdown as a result of me and the other girl getting together, because she (phew, yeah...) became obsessively infatuated with the other girl (she's bi) on sight when the three of us met up. I wanted to just stay friends with the girl making the accusation and made it super super clear ahead of time that me and the other girl were interested in each other romantically and that could play out as such when we met up. Supposedly this was not a problem for her from accusation, but in reality she uhhh wanted me to die painfully after seeing me and the other girl interact. Plus she became infatuated with the other girl simultaneously to this (she's bi), which created the aforementioned bizarre love triangle that ended up causing her to implode and have an apparently very intense and long-lasting grudge. The whole story about how that love triangle thing played out is, frankly, nuts and scary, and involves this girl bringing us to a compound of dangerous scientology spinoff cultists on that same trip, who roofied us, attempted to recruit/scam me and attempted to abduct/rape the girl I ended up dating, in what was a fucking scary situation that resulted in me and the other girl and the rest of my friend circle never speaking to this girl from the accusation again.

 

[Z..]

Japanese version of Salamander Portable is available on Japan PS Store for 2,365yen.
https://store.playstation.com/#!/ja...･ベスト/cid=JP0101-NPJH50021_00-0000000000000000

PC Engine version too for 617yen.
https://store.playstation.com/#!/ja-jp/ゲーム/沙羅曼蛇/cid=JP0555-NPJJ30030_00-SALAMANDER00JH30

I know. Tempted for XEXEX... But it's way too inconvenient switching regions on the psp every time I want to play it and the physical release is stupidly expensive (same for parodius and twinbee, sadly). Also, NES version not included so the question stands : which do you think is better?

How's the PCE version? That's PS3 compatible so it's definitely a contender...

The MSX version of Salamander beats both.

You're tripping on nostalgia there buddy. It's OK, I mistakenly think the Saturn versions of Wipeout and Tomb Raider are superior so I understand the frustration...

 

[Teknoman]

So whats the difference between Famicom Salamander and NES Life Force?

 

[Z..]

The NES/FC versions are not better than the arcade versions.

I didn't say they were. I asked. That's the whole point.

Elaborate my good sir, a final decision has not yet been made! ^^

 

[mao2]

I know. Tempted for XEXEX... But it's way too inconvenient switching regions on the psp every time I want to play it and the physical release is stupidly expensive (same for parodius and twinbee, sadly). Also, NES version not included so the question stands : which do you think is better?

How's the PCE version? That's PS3 compatible so it's definitely a contender...

Yeah it sucks that both PSP and Vita don't support multiple accounts. As for which version is better, sorry I can't help coz I've never played any of them.

 

[Z..]

Yeah it sucks that both PSP and Vita don't support multiple accounts. As for which version is better, sorry I can't help coz I've never played any of them.

What I don't understand is how come there's no homebrew workaround for this...

 

[ToastyFrog]

The Famicom version of Salamander is the best one -- it's got a better ending, better on-screen status display, and some other improvements over the US version.

Yeah, both players can activate an extra Option — makes a pretty big change in how it plays. Also, that title screen animation! The NES version seems a lot more refined to me than the arcade game, but the Famicom version is just a tiny percentage better than that and is definitely the one to get if you have the means. (And yeah, coolest cartridge ever.)

 

[mikeyvids]

This was just in Battle of the Ports posted on youtube 2 days ago. Put it in my watch later since it's a long video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7868d4HAuU

 

[discoalucard]

NES Life Force (or FC Salamander, a few minor improvements) is better. ARC Salamander's decent but it has worse music and the levels are better designed in the NES game. I feel like the scrolling in the ARC game is too fast where the NES game is closer to Gradius, and I prefer that pace.

Overall it's sort of like comparing the NES Contra to the arcade Contra (though the gap in quality isn't nearly as huge, ARC Salamander is still alright).

 

[MrCunningham]

This was just in Battle of the Ports posted on youtube 2 days ago. Put it in my watch later since it's a long video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7868d4HAuU

Looking at the ports, the Commodore 64 version is really impressive save for a few caveats. Really smooth scrolling with little slowdown and spot on collision detection. The Famicom version is still a little better though. PC Engine has a great port too.

 

[A Black Falcon]

Yeah, both players can activate an extra Option — makes a pretty big change in how it plays. Also, that title screen animation! The NES version seems a lot more refined to me than the arcade game, but the Famicom version is just a tiny percentage better than that and is definitely the one to get if you have the means. (And yeah, coolest cartridge ever.)

In addition to all that I much prefer the FC on-screen display on that version, it looks better than the basic NES one. And in addition to the title-screen animation, the FC version has a full ending! On the NES all you get is a single static screen, but not so on the FC.

So yeah, Famicom Salamander has:

- A title screen animation
- An actual full ending, not just a single "Congrats" screen
- A better-looking in-game bottom bar
- Two options instead of only one
- A cool transparent cartridge

As for how to play it, I use a NES with cartridge converter. The game doesn't have any problem running that way.

This was just in Battle of the Ports posted on youtube 2 days ago. Put it in my watch later since it's a long video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7868d4HAuU

I much prefer the Gradius powerup system of the NES/FC version over the "just collect powerups" system of the original Salamander for arcades (and also PCE), so the NES version or arcade Life Force, which use Gradius-style powerups, are better in my opinion. It's too bad that the PCE/TG16 version doesn't have a Gradius powerups option, that'd have made it better...

 

[mikeyvids]

Looking at the ports, the Commodore 64 version is really impressive save for a few caveats. Really smooth scrolling with little slowdown and spot on collision detection. The Famicom version is still a little better though. PC Engine has a great port too.

I remember hearing a podcast or reading an article with someone saying the PC Engine port is definitive. However as with any subjective view take it as you will.

 

[ToastyFrog]

- Two options instead of only one

It's actually 3 JP, 2 US! You can see the difference here in a video we put together a few months back — I played the FC version while everyone else played Life Force.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Q5eeFecI6Y

 

[D.Lo]

Salamander and Life Force are two seperate arcade games. And there are two versions of Life Force, USA and Japan. Each of the three gets more 'organic' looking than the last, and the last is the only one with Gradius style power ups (as in the currency system)

A sort of combo of the three games was ported to the NES, released as Life Force in the US, Salamander in Japan (with a couple of enhancements)...

...and as Life Force Salamander in Australia and Europe.

 

[MrCunningham]

I remember hearing a podcast or reading an article with someone saying the PC Engine port is definitive. However as with any subjective view take it as you will.

I could imagine that it is one of the definitive port out of the 8 and 16bit home ports. But the Sega Saturn port is the closest to being arcade perfect, even more so than the Playstation 1 port.

 

[UncleSporky]

I thought this was going to be a video of a salamander beating Life Force on the NES.

 

[Z..]

This was just in Battle of the Ports posted on youtube 2 days ago. Put it in my watch later since it's a long video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7868d4HAuU

NES version not there, though...
=

PCE version looks ace, though!

In addition to all that I much prefer the FC on-screen display on that version, it looks better than the basic NES one. And in addition to the title-screen animation, the FC version has a full ending! On the NES all you get is a single static screen, but not so on the FC.

So yeah, Famicom Salamander has:

- A title screen animation
- An actual full ending, not just a single "Congrats" screen
- A better-looking in-game bottom bar
- Two options instead of only one
- A cool transparent cartridge

As for how to play it, I use a NES with cartridge converter. The game doesn't have any problem running that way.



I much prefer the Gradius powerup system of the NES/FC version over the "just collect powerups" system of the original Salamander for arcades (and also PCE), so the NES version or arcade Life Force, which use Gradius-style powerups, are better in my opinion. It's too bad that the PCE/TG16 version doesn't have a Gradius powerups option, that'd have made it better...

I don't know... as much as I love Gradius II, Gaiden and V, the powerup system has never really made much sense to me, despite some obvious advantages. I'm really torn here. It's gonna come down to PCE vs NES (can't do famicom even with adapter as I don't own a NES, grew up Sega) but if I can't decide I'll just buy both...

I could imagine that it is one of the definitive port out of the 8 and 16bit home ports. But the Sega Saturn port is the closest to being arcade perfect, even more so than the Playstation 1 port.

Where would the PS4 version stand, then? Also, seems pretty universal that arcade was the worst version so why would arcade perfect matter in this context? (I love my Saturn, don't get me wrong)...

 

[cartman414]

The NES/FC versions are not better than the arcade versions.

They are in my book. Better pacing, better music, overall more refined as stated upthread. Where the arcade version is more in line with other arcade shmups in pacing (see Darius) and Gradius along with R-Type representing the slower, methodically paced end of the axis for the genre, Salamander/Life Force sits satisfyingly in the middle.

 

[AmyS]

Life Force was probably the first game on NES I ever played. A friend at school had it and we went through the game a couple of times in 2-player,

Electronic Gaming Monthly had an amazing look at Gradius II on the Famicom (1988) in their July/August 1989 and Sept/Oct 1989 issues (EGM #2 & EGM #3).

 

[EmSeta]

I'd love to be able to play all the Gradius and Salamander games on modern consoles. Especially Salamander 2, love it!

 

[Z..]

I'd love to be able to play all the Gradius and Salamander games on modern consoles. Especially Salamander 2, love it!

Well, you can play Gradius collection on PSP or Vita/PSTV (only in NA for these 2, though). Same for Salamander if you don't mind creating a JP account...

 

[A Black Falcon]

They are in my book. Better pacing, better music, overall more refined as stated upthread. Where the arcade version is more in line with other arcade shmups in pacing (see Darius) and Gradius along with R-Type representing the slower, methodically paced end of the axis for the genre, Salamander/Life Force sits satisfyingly in the middle.

And that's why both the arcade version (as also seen on the PCE, Saturn, PS4, and such) and the NES/FC versions both have value -- they are different variations on a similar game, different enough that people will like one more than the other based on what you prefer in shmups. The NES/FC version has two levels that are entirely original for example, in addition to four levels from the six in the arcade game. Since I love Gradius, I like the FC version the best, but they're both good.

I don't know... as much as I love Gradius II, Gaiden and V, the powerup system has never really made much sense to me, despite some obvious advantages. I'm really torn here. It's gonna come down to PCE vs NES (can't do famicom even with adapter as I don't own a NES, grew up Sega) but if I can't decide I'll just buy both...

As I said above, the good thing about the NES and arcade versions is that since they are different both might be worth a try, to see which you like more. But if you don't like the Gradius powerup system, then yeah, you might well prefer the arcade-based versions over the NES one (or arcade Life Force)...

As for PCE vs. arcade, the PCE version is a conversion of the arcade game, so you get the original (non-Gradius) powerups system and the six original arcade levels. That's why it's so different from the NES/FC games. It's a very good port, but it is only one variant, as opposed to the three you get in that PS4 arcade collection (or also the Saturn or PSP collections, which also include all three arcade releases), which is a possible negative.

But really, Konami's classic shmups are fantastic, period.

 

[1upsuper]

I know you say Salamander Portable is out of the question, but I'm going to probably be unhelpful and just suggest saving up/getting it when funds permit anyway. Those Konami SHMUP collections really are pretty great.

Spoiler

The Gradius one could have used console ports though.

 

[Noogy]

The NES version of Life Force was the first game I ever rented. It remains one of my favorite shooters.

I didn't play Salamander until many years later, and it just felt too weird. So for me, Life Force, all the way.

 

[duckroll]

Salamander Portable is the best thing ever. It just is. So good.

 

[mabec]

One of my all time favorite shot em up, still holds up and that boxart screams beauty to me.

 

[EmSeta]

Well, you can play Gradius collection on PSP or Vita/PSTV (only in NA for these 2, though). Same for Salamander if you don't mind creating a JP account...

Just bought Gradius Collection on my PS3 (EU) and tried transferring it to my Vita. Doesn't show up as a transferable title in the content manager!

And man, Salamander 2 on Vita would be awesome. Is creating a JP PSN account tricky?